Steam boiler



July 13, 1943. c. D, YOUNG ETAL 2,324,345

STEAM BOILER Filed Sept. 22, 1941 ,5 Sheets-Sheet l N W l TN ESSES: 1 N VEN TORS:

m Charles 12.1015- 2 @JJM Nl* N BY FreaemJfM/.mmngw July 13, l1943. c. D. YOUNG ETAL 2,324,345

STEAM Boum Filed Sept. 22, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES; INVENTORS:

GizarZaSDYau D By Ffmerzalf WHW im,

A TTORNE YS.

July 13, 1943. c. D. YOUNG ET Al. 2,324,345

STEAM BOILER Filed Sept. 22, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVETORS:

BY Ff ma; l/Kmnifzm;

'A TTORNE YS.

July 13,1943. c. D. YOUNG ETAL' 2,324,345

STEAM BOILER Filed Sept. 22, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 WITNESSES; INI/EllyTo/zsx l f cmrles. 01mg A TTORNE YS.

July 13, 1943- c. D. YOUNG Erm.. I 2,324,345

STEAM BOILER Filed Sept. 22, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 @o OOO@ @OO OOOOOGOQOGO O O e 6 O e@ G OO Oylog //m o 0 O @o OO OOGOOGO W1 TNESSES; M'VEN'IORS.-

I marzeslufoung, @Mya/f BY waerzafmlfamfmx W Q/ c, U/ in A TTORNEYS.

Patented July 13, 1943 STEAM BOILER Charles D. Young, Haverford, and Frederick W. ilankins, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application September 22, 1941, Serial No. 411,774

14. Claims.

This invention relates to steam boilers, and it has reference more especially to a horizontal steam boiler useful for locomotives wherein a steam turbine or a cylinder engine unit is positioned beneath the boiler at a point intermediate the ends of the latter.

In connection with steam boilers generally, and with boilers of the type referred to in particular, we aim to minimize the friction losses in the steam pipes, and also to secure more emcient superheating of the steam than is possible with boilers constructed along the usual or conventional lines.

The foregoing objectives we have made possible of realization in practice as hereinafter more fully disclosed, through provision of a boiler with a chamber between fire tube sections respectively at its fire box and smoke box ends; and with a duplex superheater wherein the steam flow subdivides, the two streams passing through separate groups o1" return bend steam tubes which extend in diierent directions into the fire tubes of the end sections of the boiler and of which the terminals are respectively connected to inflow and outflow headers located within the chamber aforesaid, the inflow header having an inlet through which the wet steam enters directly from the barrel of the boiler, and the outilow header having a discharge outiet through which the superheated dry steam is delivered to a turbine engine or a cylinder engine under control of a suitable throttle valve.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following description of the attached drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section of a horizontal steam locomotive boiler conveniently embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is a View corresponding to Fig. l drawn to a larger scale and showing the details of the superheater more clearly.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken approximately along the staggered plane indicated by the dot-and-dash line, and looking in the direction of arrows III- III in Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross sectional views of the boiler, respectively, taken as indicated by the angled arrows IV-IV and V-V in Figs. l-B.

As herein illustrated, our improved steam boiler has, within its shell It?, a chamber il intermediate front and rear end sections E2 and i3 in which latter flue tubes Ill, I5 and it, Il, respectively, extend horizontally between transverse flue sheets I8, i9 and 253, 2l. The front flue tube section I2, beyond which is the smoke box 22, is in this instance considerably longer than the rear section I3, beyond which latter a fire box 23 is set apart jointly by the flue sheet 'zI and an inner shell portion 25. The chamber Il, it will be noted, is set apart from the steam and water space '25 of the boiler by a drum or shell 2l in conjunction with the intermediate ilue sheets i9 and 2li. From Figs. 4 and 5 it will be observed that the large diameter flue tubes I4 and I5 in the sections I2 and I3 are centrally grouped within the area of the ue sheetsl I9 and 2i? and arrranged in uniiormily spaced vertical rows, being surrounded by most of the smaller diameter flue tubes I5 and I'I some of which latter are interspersed between said larger tubes.

The superheater with which this invention is in part concerne-d consists of two units which correspond to the two sections I2 and I3 of the boiler, said units respectively comprising pairs of main upper and lower inflow and outflow headers, 3i] and 3I and steam tubes 46, 41 and 48, 3S which respectively extend in opposite directions into the iiue tubes I4 and I6 of said boiler sections. As shown, the lower inflow and outiiow headers 3B and 3I of the two superheater units are located Within the chamber II at oppcsite ends thereof and respectively have opposing downward and upward extensions or subheaders Sta and Sia which alternate with each other and which are arranged centrally between adjacent vertical rows of the gas tubes Ill and I6, with the sides of contiguous sub-headers overlapping the ends of the tubes in adjacent vertical rows as best seen in Fig. 4. rI'he upper main inflow headers 3U of the two superheater units are formed with oppositely disposed axially aligned branches 32 which join with a common centrally located manifold connection 33 having an intake trunk 35 which extends up through the top of the drum shell I of the chamber II, and which, at its upper end, terminates within the steam dome 35 of the boiler. The lower main outilow headers 3l of the two superheater units are similarly constructed with lateral branches 3l which join with a discharge manifold connection 38 for the dry steam. As shown in Figs. l and 4, the discharge manifold connectlons 38 communicate into the neck 3| rof the casing d of the throttle valve 4I having aligned lateral outlets 4Z through which the dry steam from the superheater is conducted, by Way of suitable piping, to the engine cylinders or to the turbine (not shown) of the locomotive. Still referring to Figs. l and 4, -the dry steam -discharge manifold connection 38 is located within an opening 43 in the bottom of the boiler formed by abutting annular flanges respectively on the boiler shell I and on the drum shell 21 of the chamber II. As shown, the opening 43 is sealed at the bottom by an annulus 45 which fits around the flange 39a on the valve casing 40. The pairs of return bend steam tubes 46 and 41 within the flue tubes I4 in the frontal section I2 of the boiler have their ends respectively connected into adjacent sub-headers 30a and 3Ia, said steam tubes being of equal length and extending beyond the front ends of said fiow tubes into the smoke box. The pairs of return bend superheater tubes 48 and 49 located within the large flue tubes I6 in the section I3 of the boiler have their ends similarly connecting respectively into adjacent sub-headers 30a and 3Ia of the corresponding superheater unit. It will be noted that the upper of each of the steam tubes 48 and 49 terminates within the flue tube I6, while the lower one of the pair extends somewhat beyond the rear end of the gas tube into the fire box.

In order that access may be had to the interior of the chamber I I to install the superheater initially or to repair or clean it after extended periods of boiler operation, We have provided the boiler at one side with a manhole 59 which is dened by abutting coaxial ianges respectively formed on the boiler shell IIJ and the to opposite sides of the vertical longitudinal central plane of the boiler, we have further provided the latter with outlets 52 and 53 for the automatic discharge, from the chamber II, of cinders or scot which may accumulate in these regions, such accumulations being collected in receiving hoppers 54 and 55 which are suspended from the bottom of the boiler and with which said tubular outlets are in direct communication.

The sheet metal parts of the boiler are preferably secured by welding them together along their mutually overlapping or abutting areas, and the ends of the gas and superheater tubes may be rolled over and/or welded to the parts with which they directly contact. For ease of introducing the superheater into the chamber I I', the sub-headers 38a. and 3| a are preferably made as separate elements and welded as at B to apertured bosses on the main headers and 3'I incident to assembling said superheater. The main upper or inflow header 3D is supported at opposite ends by fixed brackets 51 at corresponding sides of the chamber II, see Fig. 4, and are there secured to said brackets by screw bolts 58. The main lower or outilow headers 3I are secured in a generally similar way to fixed brackets 59 at opposite sides of the lower part of the chamber I I likewise as shown in Fig. 4. Increased rigidity is had in the superheater structure as a consequence of the bolting together of lateral lug projections 50 and 6I respectively on the subheaders 30 and 3| in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 3. The provision of hand holes 62 with removable cover plates 63 allows access to the ends of the steam tubes 46--49 when said ends are initially rolled over and welded, and also subsequently when cleaning may be necessary. Incident to original placement, the steam tubes 46, 41 and 48, 49 are introduced into the flue tubes I4 and I6 respectively from opposite ends of the boiler.

When the boiler is in operation, the heated combustion gases pass from the fire box 23 through the ilue tubes I6 and I1 in the aft section I3 into the chamber II, and from thence into the smoke box 22A by way of the fiue tubes I4 and I5 in the front section I2. The saturated steam generated through contact of the water with the hot flue tubes I4-I1 enters the top of the trunk 35 from the space 28 subdivides and passes, by way of the branch inlets 32, into the upper headers 30 and into the sub-headers 30a communicating therewith. From thence the steam traverses the steam tubes 46, 41 and 48, 49 and next passes downward through the connecting sub-headers 3Ia, and into the lower or outfiow headers 3|, ultimately finding its way into the casing 40 of the throttle valve 4I, in a dry condition and at a greatly increased temperature, by way of the connecting passages 31, 38 and 39. In passing through the chamber II the hot gases contact intimately with all the en closed parts of the superheater before they pass into the flue tubes I4 and I5 in the fore section I2 of the boiler. Here again in traversing the gas tubes I4, the gases contact intimately with thesteam tubes 46 and 41 before discharging into the smoke box 22. The steam superheated in the fore section I2 cf the boiler ultimately passes into the casing 49 of the throttle valves tnrough the passages 31, 38 and 39, and commingles with that superheated in the aft section of the boiler upon entry into the manifold.

Due to the accelerated heat exchange effected in the aft section of the boiler as hereinbefore explained, and by virtue of the proximity of the chamber Il which contains the greater portion of the superheater, to the fire box 23, the efficiency of the boiler is obviously greatly enhanced. The division of the steam flow in the superheatei1 permits the use of shorter steam pipes than would ordinarily be required with consequent minimization of friction losses in the pipes and further increase in the efficiency of the boiler. Furthermore, due to the greater length of the steam tubes in the fore section of the boiler, where the temperature is lowest, over those in the rear section where the temperature is highest, the amount of heat absorbed by the steam in traversing the two subdivisions of the superheater will be substantially the same. It will moreover be seen that by virtue of the U-shaped configuration of the inflow and outflow headers in the direction of the length of the boiler, their inverse arrangement, and the staggering of their vertical branches Within the chamber, ample room is afforded for maneuvering of the component parts incident to assembling them.

Having thus described our invention we claim:

l. A steam boiler with a chamber between separate fire tube sections; and with a duplex superheater including an inow header and an outflow header both disposed within the chamber aforesaid in the path of the combustion gases and respectively having an inlet for the wet steam from the boiler and an outlet for the superheated dry steamy and return bend steam tubes extendng in different directions into individual fire tubes of the respective separate sections of the boiler with their ends connected to said inow and outflow headers for divided flow of the steam through the superheater.

2. A horizontal steam boiler according to` claim 1, in which the iiue tubes are arranged in spaced parallel rows; in which the inflow and outflow headers respectively have sub-header branches arranged in staggered relation and positioned intermediate the flue tube rows; and in which the ends of the steam tubes in the flue tubes of the respective rows connect into adjacent sub-header branches of the respective inow and outflow headers.

3. A horizontal steam boiler according to claim l, in which there are plural superheater tubes in individual flue tubes, and in which certain of the plural superheater tubes extend entirely through the flue tubes and others extend only part way through said flue tubes.

4. A horizontal steam boiler according to claim 1, having a re box beyond one of its end sections and a smoke box beyond the other end section, and wherein the steam tubes extend through the flue tubes of the respective end sections and project beyond the distal ends of the latter into the fire box and smoke box respectively,

5. A horizontal steam boiler according to claim 1, in which there is a re box beyond one of the end sections, and a smoke box beyond the other of the end sections; in which there are plural steam tubes in individual ue tubes of the section adjacent the re box; in which certain of such superheater tubes extend only part way through such gas tubes; and in which others of said superheater tubes extend beyond the flue tubes into the fire box.

6. A horizontal steam boiler according to claim 1 in which the inflow and outflow headers respectively have sub-header branches extending at right angles to them, in which the ends of different groups of the steam tubes connect respectively have sub-header branches extending at right angles to them, in which the ends of different groups of the steam tubes connect respec tively into the inilow and outflow sub-header branches; in which the chamber is accessible by way of an opening leading into the superheater chamber through the shell of the boiler; and in which the sub-heatder branches are made separate from the main headers to enable introduction of the superheater parts through the access opening for assembling within said chamber.

'7. A horizontal steam boiler according .to claim 1 in which the inow and outflow headers respectively have sub-header branches extending at right angles to them, in which the ends of different groups of the steam tubes connect respectively into the inow and outflow subheader branches; in which the chamber is accessible by way of an opening leading into the superheater chamber through the shell of the boiler; in which the sub-header branches are made separate from the main headers to enable introduction of the superheater parts through the access opening; and in which the sub-header branches are assembled with the main headers within the chamber by welding.

8. A horizontal steam boiler with a chamber between separate ire tube end sections; and with a duplex superheater including an inow header and an outflow header having vertical branches spaced longitudinally 0f the boiler within the chamber aforesaid in the path of the combustion gases with provision of working room between them, and respectively having an inlet for the wet steam from the boiler and an outlet for the superheated dry steam, and return bend steam tubes extending in opposite directions into the lire tubes of the respective end sections of the boiler with their terminals respectively connected to the branches of said inflow and outflow subheaders for divided flow of the steam through the superheater.

9. A fire tube boiler with a duplex superheater comprising a set of superheater tubes Within the iire tubes at the re box end of the boiler through which part of the wet steam is passed; a set of superheater tubes within the fire tubes at the smoke box end of the boiler through which the other part of the wet steam is passed; and common inflow and outflow headers respectively connecting corresponding ends of the two tube groups for divided ow of the steam in the superheater.

10. The invention according to claim 1, in which the collecting means is located medially within the boiler.

11. A steam boiler having end sections with fire tubes through which the combustion products pass in succession; and a superheater with groups of tubes respectively extending from common inflow and outflow headers into individual re tubes of the end sections for divided ow of the steam between a single intake for the wet steam from the boiler and a single outlet for the dry steam.

12. The invention according to claim 11, in which the re box end section of the boiler is shorter than the other section, and in which the respective groups of superheater tubes are correspondingly proportioned as to length for substantially equal added heat absorption in the two boiler sections by the steam.

13. A horizontal boiler according to claim 11, in which the inflow and outflow headers are of U-shaped conguration in the direction of the length of the boiler and reversely arranged with the inlets and outlets centrally located in their crosswise portions.

14. A horizontal boiler according to claim 11, in which the inflow and outflow headers are of U-shaped configuration in the direction of the length of the boiler and reversely arranged one within the other, with the inlets and outlets centrally located in their crosswise portions.

CHARLES D. YOUNG. FREDERICK W. HANKINS. 

